www.reobama.com/statement-by-nsc-spokesman-tommy-vietor-on-azerbaijans-decision-to-pardon-ramil-safarov/

WASHINGTON, DC – Today, President Barack Obama announced his intent to appoint the following individuals to key Administration posts:

President Obama said, “These dedicated men and women bring a wealth of experience and talent to their new roles and I am proud to have them serve in this Administration. I look forward to working with them in the months and years to come.”

Elizabeth K. Meyer is an Associate Professor of Landscape Architecture at the University of Virginia School of Architecture, where she has served as the Department Chair and Director of the Graduate Landscape Architecture Program.  She previously taught at the Harvard Graduate School of Design and Cornell University.  Ms. Meyer is a Fellow of the American Society of Landscape Architects and the Council of Educators in Landscape Architecture.  In 2011 and 2012, DesignIntelligence named Ms. Meyer one of the 25 Most Admired Educators.  From 2011 to 2012, Ms. Meyer served on the jury for the National Mall Design Competition sponsored by the Trust for the National Mall, and in 2010, she was a member of the winning team of the City+Arch+River design competition for the St. Louis Gateway Arch Grounds.  Ms. Meyer received a B.S.L.A. and M.L.A. from the University of Virginia and an M.A. from Cornell University.

Robert L. Stein is President of The Regency Group and a partner with Chartwell Capital.  Mr. Stein serves as a member of the Defense Business Board, which advises the Secretary and Deputy Secretary of Defense on effective business practices for application to the Department.  He also serves on the Board of the University of South Carolina Business School Foundation and the Board of Visitors of the University of Georgia School of Public and International Affairs.  Additionally, he is a member of the Florida Council of 100, a nonprofit organization that promotes economic growth in Florida.  Mr. Stein received a B.A. from the University of South Carolina.

Adrienne Arsht is Treasurer of the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and the Founding Chairman of the Adrienne Arsht Center Foundation.  She also serves as Chairman Emerita of TotalBank,  and previously served as Chairman of the Board of TotalBank of Miami from 1995 to 2007.  Ms. Arsht is a member of the Board of Directors of numerous organizations, including the Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts, the Metropolitan Opera, the University of Miami, the Atlantic Council, Amigos for Kids, and the Washington National Opera Council.  Ms. Arsht is President of the Vice President’s Residence Foundation, and is a member of the Fine Arts Committee of the U.S. Department of State, the Blair House Restoration Fund, and the Council on Foreign Relations. Ms. Arsht received a B.A. from Mount Holyoke College and a J.D. from Villanova Law School.

Colleen Bell is the Associate Producer for Bell-Phillip Television Productions, Inc.  She was appointed as a Member of the Advisory Committee on the Arts for the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Obama in March 2010, and was designated Chair in April 2011.  Additionally, Ms. Bell is the Vice Chair of the Children’s Institute, Inc. and also serves on the Boards of Directors of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art and the Los Angeles Music Center.  She is a founding member of the Natural Resources Defense Council’s Leadership Council and Global Leadership Council, and serves on the board of the UCLA Rape Treatment Center.  In 2011, she received the Imagine Award for Philanthropic Leadership from Inner-City Arts.  Ms. Bell received a B.A. from Sweet Briar College.

David C. Bohnett is founder and Chairman of the David Bohnett Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides funding and support to groups that help build and improve communities.  In 1994, Mr. Bohnett co-founded Geocities.com, an internet-based media and e-commerce company that was purchased by Yahoo! Inc. in 1999.  Mr. Bohnett is currently Chairman of the Board of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Association and a Trustee of the Foundation for AIDS Research and the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.  Mr. Bohnett received a B.S. from the University of Southern California and an M.B.A. from the University of Michigan.

Giselle Fernandez is Managing Director of Creative World Talent Management.  She was first appointed to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Obama in August 2011.  Previously, Ms. Fernandez anchored NBC’s weekend edition of the Today Show and the Sunday edition of the NBC Nightly News, as well as CBS This Morning, CBS Evening News, and CBS Weekend News.  Ms. Fernandez earned five Emmy Awards for her coverage of international news stories and interviews with global leaders.  She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles Centre for Dance Arts, City Year Los Angeles, and the National Council of La Raza.  The California Legislative Hispanic Caucus awarded Ms. Fernandez the Latino Spirit Award in 2005, and in 2007, she received the Nancy Riordan Award.  Ms. Fernandez holds a B.A. from Sacramento State University.

Norma Lee Funger has been in the real estate business for more than 30 years. She was first appointed to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Obama in January 2011.  Prior to joining the Kennedy Center, Ms. Funger had supported the arts in various roles, including as a member of the Board and Nominating Committee of the National Symphony Orchestra, the National and International Committees for the Performing Arts at the Kennedy Center, the Leadership Benefactors and Laureates Circle of the Kennedy Center, and as a member of the Smithsonian American Art Museum Commission.  She is also a board member of the Washington Performing Arts Society, serving on the Society’s Impresarios and Nominating Committees.  Ms. Funger also serves on the Foundation Board of the Children’s Hospital National Medical Center.

Caroline Kennedy is an attorney and author.  She is President of the John F. Kennedy Library Foundation and is Chair of the Senior Advisory Committee of the Institute of Politics at Harvard University.  From 2002 to 2011, Ms. Kennedy served as Vice Chair of the Fund for Public Schools, which supports public school reform.  Ms. Kennedy is on the Board of Directors of New Visions for Public Schools and serves as Honorary Chair of the American Ballet Theater.  She is the editor of nine New York Times best-selling books on topics including constitutional law, American history, politics, and poetry.  Ms. Kennedy received a B.A. from Harvard University and a J.D. from Columbia Law School.

Rebecca Pohlad is a philanthropist and a volunteer.  She works with the Carl and Eloise Pohlad Family Foundation, which works to improve the quality of lives in the Minneapolis-St. Paul region.  Mrs. Pohlad serves on the Board of Directors for the Walker Art Museum, Peace Island Medical Center, the Hope Chest for Breast Cancer at Abbott Northwestern Hospital Foundation and the San Juan Community Foundation.  She has previously served on the board of the Minnesota Orchestra.  Mrs. Pohlad received an A.A. from Cottey College and a B.S. from Iowa State University.

Dr. Romesh Wadhwani is the founder, Chairman, and CEO of Symphony Technology Group.  Previously, Dr. Wadhwani was the founder, Chairman, and CEO of several software and IT companies, including Aspect Development, Inc.  He is the founder and Chairperson of the Wadhwani Foundation, and serves on the Board of Trustees of the Center for Strategic and International Studies.  He is actively involved in Kennedy Center initiatives, having served as Co-Chair of the Maximum India Festival in 2011 and as a supporter of the 2010 Honors Gala.  Dr. Wadhwani received a B.A. from the Indian Institute of Technology in Bombay, and an M.S. and Ph.D. from Carnegie-Mellon University.

Anthony Welters is the Executive Vice President for UnitedHealth Group and a Member of the Office of the CEO.  Previously, Mr. Welters was President of UnitedHealth Group’s Public and Senior Markets Group.  Mr. Welters is the Vice Chairman of the Board of Trustees of New York University and is Chairman of the boards of the Morehouse School of Medicine and the New York University School of Law. He also serves as a Trustee of the New York University Langone Medical Center, a member of the board of West Pharmaceutical Services, Inc. and a director of C.R. Bard, Inc.  Mr. Welters serves on the Executive Committee of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, the Council of the National Museum of African American History and Culture, and was recently elected as a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. Mr. Welters received a B.A. from Manhattanville College and a J.D. from New York University.

Elaine Wynn has served as Director of Wynn Resorts since 2000.  In January 2011, she established the Elaine Wynn Studio for Arts Education at the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.  Ms. Wynn was first appointed to the Board of Trustees of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts by President Obama in August 2010.  She also serves on the Board of Trustees of the Los Angeles County Art Museum and the Board of Governors of the Basketball Hall of Fame.  Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons appointed Ms. Wynn as co-chair of the Blue Ribbon Education Reform Task Force in 2010, and she has served on the State of Nevada Council to Establish Academic Standards since 1997.  She is the Founding Chairperson of Communities in Schools of Nevada and Chairman of the National Board of Communities in Schools.  Ms. Wynn received a B.A. from George Washington University.